ByWITH ANALYSIS FROM MONITOR CORRESPONDENTS AROUND THE WORLDEDITED BY HILARY DEVRIESApril 28, 1981

Washington
— The Supreme Court agreed to consider a crucial census question -- whether the government can keep confidential the information it uses in conducting the head count. The justices agreed to consider an appeal by the Census Bureau contesting a federal appeals court decision ordering the agency to disclose its list of street address numbers for Essex County, N.J.

Also, the high court was taken to task by Justice William Rehnquist, who chastised his fellow justices for their slow handling of death penalty cases. Writing a dissent to the court's refusal to hear such a case, Justice Rehnquist charged that capital punishment is "virtually an illusion" in America.